談山神社

12.24.2012

Two treasures

Oneis the traditional festival

春日若宮おん祭り（The festival of Kasuga-Wakamiya-Shrine)was held from December15 to 18 this year,too. This festival continues for 877 years. The highlight of the festival is on the 17th. The Divine of Kasuga-Wakamiya-Shrine leave the usual palace at 0:00a.m. on the 17th and come in the tentative palace. The grass stage is made in front of the tentative palace.
Many people in old day's costumes start to parade at the noon and after that People devote their traditional dance performance on the grass stage to show the Divine till around 11:00p.m. They dance many kind of Japanese traditional dances. This is the festival of the oldest performing arts in Japan.
If you'd like, please watch the last year's blog about the parade, click here.
I left there around at 9:00p.m. in the middle of the performance last year. So to watch that sequel I went there around at 8:00p.m.this year.

納曽利（nasori)

A dancer who is dancing in front of the tentative palace

貴徳(kitoku)

蘭陵王（ranryo-ou)

The upper is a photo of the dance 「細男」( seino-o) ( taken last year)
Mr.上司（kamitukasa) who succeeds the dance 「細男」（seino-o) contributed to a newspaper.
According to him, when the Emperor Zinmu captured Shiragi in Korean peninsula long ago, 磯良（isora) who lives in the sea came to the beach. Shells were sticking to his face. He was ashamed it and hided his face with his sleeve. Dancers of 「 細男」 dance,hiding their faces with their sleeves,too. This gesture originates from 磯良. But this dance is wrapped in mystery and it's unique in Japanese performing arts history.
The dance 「細男」has been coming down under the conservation of Kasuga-Grand-Shrine.
This dance has been succeeded by four families from old. Two of them ceased and one of them didn't have man's successor and only the 上司 family remained.This dance is succeeded by mouth and there is not a sheet of music.
When Mr.上司is dancing 「細男」,he has a moment that he couldn't realize the era he is living. But he feels responsibility and joy of coming down the tradition.

Immediately after these dance performances, about 11p.m. shinto priests took out the offerings from the tentative palace and then put out the light suddenly. People take back The Divine the usual palace in the dark, making procession. A shinto priest at the head of the procession wafts the nice scent. I heard it's 神香（God's scent). About thirty priests wearing masks and taking sakaki trees each stick tight together, surrounding around the Divine. They follow,giving low voice,U.........
And maiden in the service of a shinto shrine, Japanese instrument orchestra, and people follow. The usual place is in the deep dark forest. They walk in the black as pitch. They are not permitted to turn on the light or take photos. There are very solemn and mysterious atmosphere.
I wanted to follow them but I saw off them there as I can't catch the last train.

priests take out the offerings from the tentative palace

Another is nature

志摩（shima) peninsula has the saw-toothed coastline and about small many islands,too. Many rafts for cultured pearls float in the calm bays. This place is known with pearl production,ise-lobster,abalone,oyster or fresh fish,etc. A lot of tourist,kids must have flood around some beaches here in Summer but now very quiet.
It takes about two hours from Nara city by a limited express.
We enjoyed hot spa,therapy by seawater. We took sea muddy body pack. It's warm and comfortable.
Also we enjoyed to see the stripe of Jupiter, Pleiades etc, through a big telescope in the hotel. Look at the night sky. Jupiter is shining big near the Orion now.
In addition, many shooting stars from around Gemini was supposed to appear on that night.As the moon wasn't in the sky or our room has a large window was standing on the hill, we could watch many shooting stars from our room, sitting chairs or lying on the bed.farm of nori(laver)

Ama(professional woman diver) is feeding fish in a aquarium. She usually pick shellfish, ise-lobster, seaweed etc, in the sea without wearing diving tools.

Thank you for reading my blog for this year.

I wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas and New Year! This post is linked Our World Tuesday

Thanks for sharing the solemn and graceful performances of On-Matsuri by your fabulous photos following the last year. I could enjoy with the comfort of the warm living room. The shooting stars and the marvelous sunset look symbolizing your prosperous New Year and I’m happy for you that you could have such a relaxing time with your family at such a nice location. I’ve had another happy time revolving around my granddaughter. I grabbed this time while she is away in Kobe for a few days.

Dearest Sarah,Wow, I am embarrassed not knowing this "御祭り" at Kasuga-Wakamiya-Shrine. You have a lot tradition of yours to share, my Japanese friend. Thank you very uch for the picture♡♡♡Wonderful to hear that you had a lovely trip to 志摩, and shooting stars☆☆☆ How lucky!!! Thank you very much for the gorgeous pictures and your sweet comments this year. I hope you had a lovely eve last night with your family♬♬♬

To snowwhite,えー！！ぜんぜん気付かなかったです。今年は雨のせいか観客の数は少なかったと思うんですが。私は、蘭陵王の少し前から見始めました。納曾利のお二人は、先輩後輩みたいで、「よし、行くぞ」と言われたのが聞こえました。最後の舞台にたつ心意気のようなものを感じました。神様をお送りする隊列に古来からの祭りの不思議なおごそかさをかんじました。来年は若宮神社までついて行こうかなとおもいますが、帰りが大変です。

江ノ電

Babies of Japanese bush warbler

yokohama

Ono-temple

Ukimi-do

setubun-mantoro

on-maturi

Alhambra palace

フォロワー

自己紹介

I'm a Japanese woman, was raised in Osaka. Now I live in Nara Which is an ancient city of Japan. Practicing English is one of my hobbies, even though my English is not that good but still I'd like to continue learning English.